Tuz to rocket home again
Golden Shaheen winner on track as Sword Of Honour meeting ushers in the New Year
DUBAI - A loaded card brings in the New Year at Meydan Racecourse on Jan 3, when a bunch of Group 1 performers line up on the eight-race Sword Of Honour race day.
While the highlight is the 850,000 dirham (S$316,000) Group 2 Zabeel Mile (sponsored by Phi Advertising), the buzz will be around Tuz.
The US-bred Oxbow eight-year-old is the leading dirt sprinter in the United Arab Emirates, backing up his 2024 Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1,200m) success with another demolition job in the Listed Garhoud Sprint (1,200m) at Meydan on Dec 6.
He defends his title in the 700,000 dirham Group 3 Dubawi Stakes (sponsored by Binghatti Developers) over 1,200m on dirt, and has scared off all bar five rivals.
“Tuz is one of the fastest horses in the world and is in good form. He’s his usual self so all is good with him,” reported trainer Bhupat Seemar, who also won this race in 2023 with Switzerland.
Tuz’s rivals include Desperate Hero, who makes his dirt debut for Salem bin Ghadayer having been trained in the UK by Jack Channon, and Colour Up, second to Tuz in the Garhoud Sprint.
Strobe, who looked unlucky on his Meydan debut, also takes his chance for Simon and Ed Crisford.
“Desperate Hero has had just one gallop since he came,” said bin Ghadayer of the Captain Gerrard five-year-old, who ran fourth to Makarova in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1,000m) in October.
“He performed well on soft and firm ground in Europe and I’m really happy about him – he’s a nice horse and he could develop to become one of the good sprinters here.
“This weekend’s race is just a starting point for him, as it’s a tough field with a super champion (Tuz) in there. But he will be a very nice horse, especially over five furlongs.”
The six-time winner will be ridden by former popular Kranji jockey Bernardo Pinheiro.
The official feature, the Zabeel Mile is not without excitement either. The promising San Donato bids to emulate Safety Check, the only dual winner of the 1,600m race to-date.
Successful last year when trained by Doug Watson, the Lope De Vega nine-year-old is now with Michael Costa and put in an encouraging yard debut when second to Godolphin’s Native Approach in the Listed Business Bay Challenge (1,400m) at Meydan last time.
“We’re really happy with him,” said Costa. “We ran him first-up thinking he would be be too short (on fitness) but we wanted to give his coat a wriggle on.
“He has come on nicely and will keep getting better with the increase in distance. It looks a firmer race then last year, but the horse is a happy horse.”
The nine-strong field includes two trained by Charlie Appleby, Ottoman Fleet and Noble Dynasty, while Lucia Botti runs Royal Dubai, third to the Appleby-trained Measured Time in the Group 2 Al Rashidiya (1,800m) at Meydan on Dec 20 last time.
“Royal Dubai looks fantastic after his impressive Group 2 performance,” said Botti of the Seahenge five-year-old.
“It’s a short break between two very competitive races, but he’s honest and ready for the challenge.”
Another dirt feature is the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (sponsored by Kentucky Derby) which has attracted an intriguing field of 13, including one filly, the bin Ghadayer-trained Arigatou Gozaimasou.
A runaway winner on debut, the Honest Mischief three-year-old missed her last intended start due to suspected ringworm and must now break from a wide draw in 11.
“To be honest we don’t really want to take on the boys, but we have to as we missed the Shahama Stakes,” said bin Ghadayer.
“I’d like to reach the Cocoa Beach Stakes with two races in her pocket; at least two seven furlong races, before we start on the mile.
“She has the ability and the quality to compete against the boys, but I would rather have been drawn six or seven.” DUBAI RACING CLUB
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now